SW - 41

After Tang Yin said that, Lu Chi didn’t refute her further.

She had already achieved what she wanted.

What she disliked the most was being given the silent treatment—it felt like emotional coldness. Either they could talk it out or just end things clearly. Although Lu Chi and she were still only classmates at this point, she intended to develop an intimate relationship. If he continued to act like this in the future, it wouldn’t work.

So when Lu Ye mentioned it, she agreed.

Now that she had cleared things up with Lu Chi, her mood improved.

But now it was vacation, and there wouldn’t be many opportunities to spend time together. Even if she invited him, he probably wouldn’t come out.

Her reasoning was spot-on.

After the winter break began, no matter what excuses she made at home, Lu Chi refused to come out. Even his usual study-related excuses were rejected outright.

No matter how she tried, it didn’t work.

Fortunately, an opportunity came—Su Kexi’s birthday was approaching before the New Year.

Su Kexi called Tang Yin early: “This is my last birthday bash in high school! Tomorrow, we’ll gather at my place first, then go out to have fun.”

Tang Yin asked, “Your place? How many people are you inviting?”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

Tang Yin knew Su Kexi’s family situation well since their homes were close. Su Kexi’s father was the mayor’s secretary, and her mother was a department director. Not many people in the class knew about this.

“My parents aren’t doing anything special,” Su Kexi said. “Maybe just a few people?”

Though nothing unusual was happening, Su Kexi was aware of the risks of having too many eyes around. Her grandfather’s family owned a real estate company, and the house near Tang Yin’s was a dowry gift for her daughter.

Back when Su Kexi’s mother was just a section chief in elementary school, she once invited the entire class to celebrate her birthday. They had a big party.

But the next day, her mother was reported.

The accusations were detailed, one of which was that her family was too wealthy.

Though nothing was found after an investigation, Su Kexi remembered it vividly and found it terrifying.

Tang Yin sighed. “Why don’t we have it at my place?”

“Will it be…”

“What’s there to worry about? Everyone at Jiashui Private School knows I’m rich. Let them see.” Tang Yin sounded indifferent.

Su Kexi nearly jumped for joy. “Ah, Boss, I love you so much!”

After hanging up with Tang Yin, she called Lu Yu.

Since the last time she went to Third High to find him, she hadn’t seen him anywhere. He was completely different from before.

In the end, she was escorted out by a group of people calling themselves “Brother Yu’s followers.”

The next day was Sunday, and the weather was nice, with a rare sunny day.

Though it was supposed to be a big celebration, only a few close friends were invited.

Tang Yin was woken up early by an unexpected visit from Su Kexi.

The two of them roughhoused on the bed for a while before finally getting up near noon. Since the gathering was scheduled for the afternoon, there was no rush.

Jiang Qiuhuan and Tang Youwei were kicked out by Tang Yin to go on a date and weren’t allowed back until evening. Tang Yun had returned briefly last time but left again.

Su Kexi sat there, counting on her fingers. “Later in the afternoon, we’ll eat cake, and the rest will happen inside. After the evening ends, we’ll go out for something good.”

“In winter, hot pot or barbecue works. Hot pot is more casual, but barbecue is livelier with a bigger crowd. Let’s book a large venue.”

Tang Yin had already changed clothes, while Su Kexi was still figuring out what to eat in the evening.

The doorbell rang repeatedly.

“The guests are here.”

As soon as Tang Yin opened the door, a group of people rushed in, throwing colorful ribbons everywhere.

Yu Chun was the first to arrive. Seeing her covered in ribbons, he immediately took a step back.

“Boss! It wasn’t me!”

Tang Yin gave him a disdainful look and kicked him lightly.

The group burst into laughter as they entered. Spotting Su Kexi on the couch, they pounced on her, nearly burying her under ribbons.

Leaning against the doorway, Tang Yin asked, “Did Lu Chi not come?”

Lu Ye turned around and replied, “I don’t know. Ever since you got close to him on the last day of school, every time I run into him—whether on the road or in the dormitory corridor—he looks at me like I’m his enemy. It’s all your fault. You’ve ruined my reputation.”

Ever since walking closely with Tang Yin on the last day of school, Lu Ye had encountered Lu Chi twice—once on the road and once in the dormitory corridor. Each time, Lu Chi’s gaze made him shiver.

He trembled uncontrollably.

Tang Yin glanced toward the entrance and saw Lu Chi approaching.

The courtyard gate was open, and he walked in, tall and elegant, with his sleeves rolled up, revealing delicate wrist bones. He looked like a gentleman.

Yet his pale skin and striking features made him resemble a vampire.

Entrancing.

Tang Yin stepped out, closed the door behind her, leaned against it, and stood in front of Lu Chi. “You look very good today.”

Especially those eyes.

Perhaps her words had an effect. Though Lu Chi still wore glasses at school, he often didn’t wear them privately anymore.

Lu Chi’s ears turned slightly red, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

Clearly, he was in a good mood.

Lu Chi glanced around. “Your house is… very beautiful.”

Compared to his home, which was cold and quiet, hers was clearly designed with care.

Tang Yin smirked and teased, “Anyway, this will be your home in the future.”

Lu Chi: “…”

After hours of playful chaos at home, the group squeezed into cars and headed out.

Su Kexi booked a large private room with a nightclub vibe. The moment they entered, neon lights flashed, and deafening music filled the air.

Drinks were ordered—not too many, but enough for the guys to enjoy.

Wen Yue also came, but she quietly sat in a corner, chatting with a few other girls.

Though they weren’t particularly close, girl talk easily sparked up, and within minutes, they were laughing and chatting.

“The birthday girl should sing!”

Yu Chun handed over the microphone. “You can’t refuse. Today, we must hear your voice.”

Su Kexi glared at him.

As it turned out, they were wrong.

Su Kexi’s singing was terrible, almost ruining their ears. Everyone used the excuse of teasing her to make her drink more alcohol.

Her tolerance wasn’t great.

When Lu Yu pushed the door open, he happened to see Su Kexi holding a liquor bottle like a microphone, standing on the sofa, belting out songs and bouncing around wildly.

The lighting was dim, but he caught sight of Lu Chi sitting in the corner.

Without hesitation, he turned to leave.

“Lu Yu!”

Su Kexi scrambled down from the sofa, lunging toward the door. She nearly collided with the wall but managed to grab onto Lu Yu.

“You said you weren’t coming!” Su Kexi slurred, leaning closer. “Come in, come in, or I’ll get mad.”

Lu Yu’s expression turned impatient as he tried to push her away.

Su Kexi’s tolerance wasn’t great. Earlier, she had helped Wen Yue avoid drinking, and now she was thoroughly drunk, her body limp.

When he pushed her, she slid down.

Lu Yu cursed under his breath and caught her.

Su Kexi nestled herself against him, mumbling incoherently. She babbled for a long time.

He helped her inside, and Lu Ye made space for her to sit in the center. Former classmates greeted him warmly.

They all knew about Lu Yu and Su Kexi’s past, as they had been part of the audience back then. No one expected Su Kexi to succeed.

After locking eyes with Lu Chi, Lu Yu’s mood soured.

He stayed for a while, then stood up to leave.

Lu Ye said, “Lu Yu, you’re leaving already? Stay and play a little longer.”

“Yeah, it’s just the beginning. Leaving now would be boring. Su Kexi’s the birthday girl—are you leaving too?”

Though drunk, Su Kexi understood and nodded along. “Right, right, right.”

Her hand clung to his arm.

Lu Yu turned his head, spotting Lu Chi quietly seated in the corner. He recalled the events of the past few weeks.

Something had happened that day. When his mother returned home, she cried bitterly.

After much questioning, he finally got the truth.

It was completely different from what he had imagined before.

Under the dim lighting, Lu Yu mixed several drinks together, pouring a small amount into a clean glass.

He placed it on the table. “Make him drink it all.”

Su Kexi tried to pull him but was gripped tightly, her hand aching from the pressure.

Once he spoke, the private room fell silent.

Everyone in the room, whether from Class Fourteen or the experimental class, recognized Lu Yu—especially those from the experimental class, as he had been their classmate before.

This was the first time they had seen such a ruthless side of Lu Yu.

People had become cruel.

Though they didn’t know the exact relationship between Lu Chi and Lu Yu, they could vaguely guess and felt it was complicated and troublesome.

The glass contained only a small amount of liquid, but the mixture made it impossible to discern its color, evoking fear.

Wen Yue was usually timid, especially knowing Lu Yu was from Third High. Panicking, she wanted to find Tang Yin to stop this.

But before she could stand up, she remembered Tang Yin had just taken a call and left, not yet returning.

Lu Ye stood up to mediate. “Lu Yu, don’t do this. This mixture… we’re still high school students. What if something happens after drinking it?”

Before he could finish, Lu Yu interrupted, “Drink or not?”

The private room was silent except for the singing on the screen. Despite the deafening music, the atmosphere felt eerily quiet.

The group alternated their gazes between Lu Chi and Lu Yu, unsure what to do.

“Drink.”

They heard this single word.

Low, but clear.

“All right, I understand.”

After hanging up the phone, Tang Yin received a call from Yu Chun. “Boss, Lu Chi just ran out. Did you see him?”

“Lu Chi? Ran out?”

Yu Chun quickly summarized what had just happened. “I don’t know what’s gotten into Lu Yu. He made Lu Chi drink, and after he left, Lu Yu started drinking heavily himself. Don’t you think this is…”

He didn’t dare tell Boss Tang; he knew he’d get scolded.

Anger flared in Tang Yin’s chest. Without waiting for him to finish, she hung up.

What kind of nonsense was Lu Yu pulling today, trying to assert dominance like this? Did he really think she didn’t matter?

She walked inside, only to see Lu Chi sitting in the lobby.

Seeing him, Tang Yin immediately relaxed, fearing he might have gotten into trouble.

Lu Chi had probably never had alcohol before.

He sat upright, hands folded neatly on his knees, looking as serious as a student during their first class.

Approaching him, she noticed his entire face was flushed. His gaze was fixed ahead, though she couldn’t tell what he was staring at.

Tang Yin asked, “Why is your face so red?”

As soon as she finished speaking, she sniffed and smelled the strong scent of alcohol wafting toward her, carrying its unique fragrance.

Lu Chi seemed a bit dazed.

He opened his mouth but said nothing.

Tang Yin found his expression oddly pitiful.

Though she didn’t know why he suddenly drank, she asked the lobby staff for a cup of honey water and brought it over to feed him.

However, Lu Chi was clearly stubborn. Even when the cup reached his lips, he refused to open his mouth.

Tang Yin sighed. “Open your mouth.”

Lu Chi obediently opened his mouth.

He was surprisingly compliant.

Only when she spoke did he respond.

When the honey water touched his lips, Lu Chi reached out to block it, frowning and muttering something Tang Yin didn’t catch.

She pinched his cheek. “Little stammerer, open your mouth.”

A cup of honey water later.

If it were any other time, she wouldn’t have had such an intimate opportunity. Tang Yin’s heart was soaring, though her expression remained calm.

Outside, it was already dark. The lobby was nearly empty, with only the two of them.

Lu Chi squinted, his eyelids flushed red. Under the dim lighting, the person before her looked as tempting as freshly baked pastries.

He stuck out his tongue, licking.

Caught off guard, Tang Yin didn’t move her finger in time. He sucked it into his mouth, his warm tongue moving gently. The tingling sensation shot straight up her arm.

All the way to her heart.

Exquisitely numbing.

After a while, Tang Yin snapped out of it, pulled her hand back, wiped it, set the cup down, and sat beside him, unsure what to say.

Lu Chi’s gaze followed her movements, intensely focused.

Tang Yin covered her mouth and coughed softly.

Though she felt a bit guilty for taking advantage of him, she couldn’t help herself. She had liked him for so long.

Suddenly, she turned to face him, locking eyes with Lu Chi.

Lu Chi blinked, obediently looking at her. He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, likely tasting the sweetness of the honey water left behind.

Then he frowned, noticing Tang Yin’s hand resting nearby, and reached for it.

Damn, he was seductive.

“Sigh.” Tang Yin exhaled deeply.

She turned Lu Chi’s face toward her, slowing her speech. “If you kiss me, I’ll let you lick my finger. Deal?”